Akita Temperament

The Akita is a large and powerful dog, and if you encounter the wrong side of its temperament, you might get bitten. That’s a fair warning that you shouldn’t approach any unknown Akita, and you shouldn’t expect that a new Akita is going to be friendly around an Akita you already own, especially if it is the same gender. Before we get into the good aspects of its temperament, let’s cover some of its more negative aspects. That is only fair for prospective pet owners that want to get a full view of the Akita. It’s not appropriate to just cover its positive aspects because the Akita is a dog that is associated with some controversy, much like the Pit Bull, Rottweiler, and Poodle.

The Akita is very territorial, and that can be a good thing if you’re looking for a guard dog. It can be aloof, distant, and reserved with strangers, but it might even be hostile or guarded. It is a powerful and large dog, and it is very dominant and independent around the house. The Akita was bred to work and be alone, and that means it is not necessarily good with groups or lots of people, and this preference is reflected in their temperament today. If you have a small family, or you don’t own any other pets, this can be the perfect dog for you, but it does best in the right circumstances. Counter-intuitively, they do well with small children, and if you have a small family, the Akita will probably do very well with it. This is especially good if you are also looking for a guard dog because you have a family.

The Akita will take on a role that is socially dominant when it is around other breeds. There has to be an abundance of caution exercised when the Akita is around other dogs, especially dogs that are unfamiliar. The Akita is not a good dog to take to the dog park. The Akita will be less willing to accept other dogs of the same gender. Unless your Akita is highly socialized, it is not a good idea to let it roam free without a leash at dog parks. The Akita is cautious, fearless, brave, and smart. They can be very spontaneous, and they need the owner to be consistent, clear, and confident, or they will not respect him. The dog can become very aggressive and willful around other animals and dogs.

If you are not prepared to put up with the Akita’s quirks and trouble dealing with other dogs and people, and if you are afraid of controlling or retaining an especially big dog, then you have to choose another dog which may be easier to manage, is smaller, or is able to get along with other dogs more easily. Getting the right breed of dog can make or break your pet-owning experience. Don’t waste a lot of money on this expensive breed if another one is more suited to you.